Attainment of Love
by staceyyyy
Summary: AU - Mob Story. When life throws them together and there is no other choice to make, is all fair in love and war?
1. Aisle of White

**Disclaimer – I do not own Arrow.**

**.**

She could never have even imagined her life turning out like this. Surely she didn't deserve any of this? Surely she would wake up from this nightmare at any moment, surrounded by her soft canary coloured bed sheets, safe and warm in her college dorm?

Except she wasn't sleeping and this wasn't something she could just wake up from. This wasn't a nightmare but her reality.

Today was her wedding day.

_**~:: Two weeks earlier ::~**_

_She stood stock still, her joints numb by this stage from the lack of movement in the last couple of hours. Being in the middle of a hospital, even if she was in a very private waiting room, caused her senses to overdrive; her nose overwhelmed with the smell of aesthetic, her ears ringing from all the beeping noises around her._

_She had been on the move since receiving a phone call at six in the morning from her brother, telling her to urgently get on a plane and come back to Starling City. Telling her that her father had just had a heart attack._

_So now she was here at Starling General, waiting for any form of news while her brother tried to sort out the family. Not like her actual blood family, but their mob family._

_Her father was the leader of the Smoaks, one of Starling Cities most influential and powerful families, and had been the head of the clan since before she was even born. Her whole life she had known where she had come from, known exactly what her family did, but they were her family and she loved them. Even in the chaos of their everyday lives she had always felt loved, cherished and protected. She had always been the apple of her mother's eye, the girl with golden curls and curious bright blue eyes. Her older brother, Roy, had always protected her against any and all who were stupid enough to even try to hurt her. Even her father, who was known for his ruthlessness and strength against all odds, never failed to make her feel precious. The greatest treat in her younger years was to be put on his lap after dinnertime as he told her stories of great kings and beautiful princesses, of powerful dragons and faraway lands._

_But now she was here, trying to pull herself together, hoping to see her father alive and well again._

_The sound of footsteps brought her eyes up from the sterile floor as she took in the most welcome sight of Roy striding towards her. And only when she was encased by the warm protectiveness of his strong arms did she allow herself to break down, allow herself to lower the carefully constructed walls that they had all learned to erect when in the presence of anyone other than family. Their family._

_Because no one but family was allowed to see a hint of weakness._

_It wasn't long after that the doctor stepped into the waiting room, both siblings moving to face him in the hopes of receiving some good news._

_No good news was to be had._

_"Mr Smoak, Miss Smoak, I have only bad news unfortunately. Your father has been diagnosed with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, which in simpler terms is a severe heart attack, the coronary artery is completely blocked by a blood clot, so all of the heart muscle that usually receives blood from the affected artery will begin to die"._

_Roy spoke up for the both of them, "What can we do, there must be treatments or some kind of medicine to fix this, I assure you that money is not an issue…"_

_But he was cut off by the doctor before he could go on any further._

_"Unfortunately this is incurable Mr. Smoak, we will do all we can to make him comfortable for the next twenty-four hours but I do not think that he will make it through the night. I would recommend getting his affairs in order". And with one last sympathetic glance towards the shell-shocked blondes, he turned and quietly left the waiting room._

**~::Present Day::~**

She moved away from the mirror, not wanting to see herself in the delicately crafted wedding gown that had been sent over a couple of days ago, towards the stained glass windows of the mansion at which the wedding was being held at.

His mansion.

She stared down to the beautifully decorated grounds before her, taking in the organisers scurrying around at the last moment trying to achieve the perfection that was demanded of them.

How had she ended up like this? It seemed like it was only yesterday that she was free, or as free as the daughter of a mob boss could be. She was in her final year of MIT, well on the way to graduating summa cum laude.

She had never been stupid, she knew exactly who her family was and what their enemies were capable of. She had never tried to run away from her constant bodyguards, had never put herself in any situations that she could be caught off guard, but she did like to be free.

Her mother had always tried to keep her away from the more criminal activities of the family, and it was with her mother's help that Felicity Smoak convinced her father that sending her halfway across the country was actually a good idea. She had never seen a smile brighter than the one that was on her mother's face the day the acceptance letter had come in the mail.

Three months into her first year of university her mother, Donna Smoak, had died of a rapidly growing cancer that no one in the family had even known about.

In the face of grief Felicity threw herself into her studies, determined to honor her mother by taking every single opportunity that she could, hoping that wherever her mother was that she would be proud of her.

Except now here she stood, paying for yet another curveball that life her sent her way. Without her mother to help her get ready, without her father to walk her down the aisle, towards a man that she barely knew and to marry into a family she had been brought up to hate.

_**~:: A Week Ago ::~**_

_"WHAT!?"_

_"Felicity, you know I wouldn't do this if I had any other option but father didn't give me another option, he didn't even give you one!"_

_"HOW!? How is this even possible? Is this even legal? He never even talked about this with me! What could he have possibly been thinking? Was he thinking? Oh my God Roy! How could he expect me to go through with this! I don't even know the man! I've literally never even spoken to him in my life!"_

_Roy didn't have an answer to her questions. He didn't even have any answers to his own questions. Without any warning the whole of the Smoak clan had been thrown onto his shoulders, all looking up to him for instructions on how to carry out the everyday dealings of the family business, all the while rats ran around trying to find weaknesses after the death of his father. Trying to find the weakest link in the hopes of bringing them all down._

_He understood her grief, shared it with her as the loss of their father was still very strong but he couldn't, he wouldn't, allow himself to lose focus. Too much was at stake and he wouldn't let their family legacy be lost in a moment of weakness._

_"Felicity look at me."_

_Her blue eyes lifted to meet his, the despair in them so evident it hurt his soul._

_"Now listen to me. I've loved you my whole life, protected you my whole life. From when boys pulled at your braids in the playground to getting my goons to shadow you in high school I have done everything in my power to keep you safe, you know that right?"_

_Her answering nod and the hand that fell on his forearm assured him as he kept going._

_"Well now it's just us against the world Liss." He loved the way that a smile crept onto her tear stained face at the use of his childhood nickname for her._

_"This is the way that dad wanted it. You've been away for a little bit but there is a new player in town, Slade Wilson, he's new yes but he's rising up and becoming extremely powerful. And he's out for blood; he wants to destroy this city's foundations until everything is under his control. I knew dad was trying to work some angles to join the families but I never thought it would be this serious. It makes sense, marrying the children of the two most influential families in Starling. What is more important than blood ties right? If you marry Oliver Queen and I marry Thea Queen that would unite the families like never before. We wouldn't be allies, allies aren't always trustworthy, they can turn on you at a moment's notice."_

_"So you're going to use me and Thea Queen as security bonds? Like a literal trade of commodity?"_

_"NO! God no Felicity, I would never do that to you, and no matter how much we don't get along I know that Oliver Queen could never love anything more than he loves his sister. This is to keep the family alive Felicity, to keep us alive. Mom would have hated this but this was father's dying wish. I need to carry it through."_

_In her mind Felicity knew where Roy was coming from. Could even understand where Donald Smoak and Robert Queen where coming from. There was no better or stronger way to solidify an alliance between families than marriage. Marriage led to blood ties and in their world that meant everything._

_Yes she understood it. That didn't mean she had to like it._

**~:: Present Day ::~**

She didn't know how long she stood there, watching as the activity of the organizers be replaced with the guests now pouring into the estate, carefully making their way towards the deck and chairs that had been set up for the ceremony.

She was overwhelmed but not surprised by the sheer amount of people that had shown up on such little notice, here to witness the joining of Starling City's two major mob families.

This was a huge deal in their world.

Security was practically swarming the place, the stiff postures and carefully scrutinizing gazes set them apart from all the guests that were in attendance. No one without an invitation could even dream of getting in, from cops to reporters, this was a place that definitely kept the unwanted out.

The guests themselves ranged from wanted criminals to politicians that were all in the pocket of her future husband, and no one needed the extra sets of unwanted eyes on them, and both the Smoaks and the Queens catered to that need.

Yes, this was certainly a celebration to end all celebrations. And while the security did an excellent job of keeping everyone out, they also did an excellent job of keeping everyone in. Namely her.

There was no chance of escape, nowhere to run away from her fate.

_**~:: Two Days Ago ::~**_

_The soft knock on his study door instantly alerted him as to who was on the other side and his heart immediately loosened with the knowledge that for now she was safe. He wasn't a monster and he loved his sister dearly, but he knew very well that he was sending her into the lion's den. Not that he thought that Queen would hurt her, but Roy knew that emotional wounds could go a lot deeper and could hurt a hell of a lot worse than the physical ones. He hoped that his sister would find love in that marriage; if anyone were to unfreeze the cold heart of Oliver Queen it would be her._

_"Come in Liss."_

_The smile that didn't reach her eyes tugged at his heart but he knew nothing that he said would make their situation any better. Both siblings were between a rock and a hard place and while he had scoured his brain for another alternative, a better alternative to what they were about to do, he kept drawing a blank. They didn't have any other choice._

_"I need to ask you something."_

_"Anything, you know that," he answered without hesitation._

_The lack of her usual babbling showed him that she was trying to reign herself in, trying to hide from him any reaction to what she was about to ask him. But her hands gave her away, the way her fingers twirled the hem of her sky blue dress gave away her emotions and how close she was to her breaking point._

_When she failed to articulate what she needed he stood up and moved from around his desk and stepped forward, kneeling down before her and grabbing one of her hands in both of his._

_"What is it Liss?"_

_Her tear clouded eyes drifted from their joined hands to his blue depths, willing herself to find the strength._

_This wasn't custom, this was going against tradition and she knew it but she knew she needed this, needed him to support her in that final hurdle._

_"Would you walk me down the aisle?"_

_It was customary in their world that the father of the bride walks her down the aisle. In the absence of a father she would walk alone. A bride's brother would be a groomsman for the groom, in a show of his own support for the wedding._

_"Yes"._

_He answered without hesitation. His baby sister was sacrificing herself for their family; the least he could do was go up against a bit of tradition for her. Queen would agree to it, Roy hardly saw the reason for the brother of the bride to be a groomsman anyway, surely walking her down the aisle and giving her away is enough to show his support for the union?_

_His final words were accompanied with a gentle kiss to the forehead as he stroked her hair, "We make our own traditions baby sister, we are our family now"._

**~:: Present Day ::~**

Oliver Queen.

The man was practically a myth in Starling City.

Everyone knew who he was but yet he was completely untouchable. Police could never find anything concrete, evidence wouldn't stick or suddenly disappear, and red tape would come out of nowhere to bury case files so deep that no average detective or investigator could reach them. And the low level criminals that worked for him that did manage to get caught for one petty crime or another? They may have been stupid enough to get caught but they weren't stupid enough to open their mouths and snitch on Oliver Queen.

Everyone knew that snitching on the Queen family bought you a one-way ticket to the Starling City River in a body bag.

Ever since he had taken over the reins after Robert Queen stepped aside for his heir, rumours of his ruthlessness grew more outrageous by the minute. He was the head of the family but he wasn't scared to get his hands dirty. Oliver Queen had a degree in torture and killing and there wasn't a man or woman in Starling City that was stupid enough to not fear him. Some people called him a monster. Some people called him a cunning devil. Some people called him a cold-blooded killer.

And she was the one that had to walk down the aisle to him.

.

**An epic thank you to Ophelia Joane my new Beta :) !**

**Stay safe everyone! Love to all – Stace - XO**


	2. Uniting Tide

**Disclaimer – I do not own Arrow. **

**~:: Present Day ::~**

_It's all very surreal_, she thought as she walked down the aisle, one hand clutching onto the bouquet in front of her and the other clutching at Roy's arm in a vicelike grip. She felt like she was having an out of body experience as she took in the details of the ceremony around her. The guests looking up at her from the their seats, the massive autumn coloured flower creations that lined the far side of the pews and the white carpet that was covered in red and orange rose petals at her feet, all contributed to the dreamlike quality.

This is certainly not the wedding that she imagined she would have. She had always wanted something small, with only her and her partner's closest friends and family in attendance. Now she was just surrounded by a sea of people she didn't know, criminals and the elite of Starling City joined together to bear witness to the union of Starling City's two most influential mob families.

They were making history.

She let her eyes wonder, taking in the rest of the wedding party. Thea Queen, her only bridesmaid, was dressed in a flowing strapless chiffon gown, the pleated top a dusty orange that faded into a dark burgundy towards the bottom of the dress. A handsome dark haired man stood to the right in the place of the best man, and she guessed that this was the infamous Tommy Merlyn. She didn't know much about him but from what she had gathered over the last week he was Oliver's best friend as well as his right hand man.

She knew she couldn't avoid looking at her future husband forever so she allowed her eyes to drift to his direction, taking in his perfectly tailored black suit, the crisp white shirt and the silver tie that she knew would match his stormy blue grey eyes. Once their gazes met she couldn't for the life of her pull her eyes away from his azure depths. She couldn't place the emotion that was seeping from his eyes into her very soul, all she could feel was the heat that he was piercing her with, leaving in its wake a roaring confusion in its wake.

What was she getting herself into?

_**~:: Six Days Ago ::~**_

_She felt like she had stepped into the middle ages, where a potential husband and his family would go to the bride's family and barter for her. Not that the men in front of her were bartering for her exactly, more like hashing out all the details of her wedding day, from deciding who would be paying for the wedding to when her belongings would be moved into the Queen Mansion, the list of things that needed to be organised in the limited amount of time they had seemed to be endless. _

_She tried to keep track of what Roy and Robert Queen were talking about, it was her life that they were discussing after all, but she couldn't help the fact that all of this was completely and utterly overwhelming. _

_Oliver himself hadn't said all that much since stepping into their house, apart from the required introductions. Which was a joke in itself; in what normal family, in their day and age, would a bride be introduced to her future husband six days before their already set wedding date? But neither of their families could ever be considered normal. _

_She stood up abruptly, well past the point of caring whether she was being rude or not, and made her way to the kitchen in the hopes of calming her panicking heart. That and to hopefully ward off the panic attack that she knew was imminent if she stayed listening to their conversation. _

_She didn't know how long she stood there, her hands gripping the edge of the kitchen bench as she stared out into the backyard, her knuckles turning white from the strain. _

_She didn't hear him come into the room, rather felt his presence behind her as the fine hairs on the nape of her neck rose under what she knew to be his penetrating gaze. _

"_Felicity". _

_That was the first time that she had heard him say her name and the sparks that flew through her body at the way he said it made her question her own sanity, and she didn't want to delve into whether the sparks where created by fear or something else entirely. Something that she didn't even want to consider. _

_She moved around to face him, trying and failing to put a mask of indifference on her face so that he didn't see exactly how much he affected her. _

"_I know this isn't ideal". How was it possible for his voice to be so gruff but also sound like silk at the same time? _

_Her snort was his only reply, but he didn't seem to want to elaborate on his painfully obvious statement. _

_She didn't have the courage to ask the numerous questions that where flooding her mind. What would their life be like? Could they get along? Would they get to know each other or would they just be strangers that happened to live together? Would a divorce be possible after all of this was over? Would he be faithful? She knew she would be, whether this was real or not she didn't believe in cheating. But he was under no obligation to be faithful to her, a woman he had just met. _

_They stood there staring into each other's eyes and he seemed to sense her inner turmoil. He stepped closer, slowly as if to avoid scaring her away and reached for her hand with one of his. Her gaze drifted to their joined fingers, numbly watching as his other hand reached into his coat pocket and retrieved an engagement ring, which he proceeded to gently place on her finger, the pads of his calloused fingertips igniting a fire that spread throughout her whole body, making it difficult to breathe. _

_He dropped her hand to her side, stepping away and out of the kitchen without another word, seemingly oblivious to the fact that in the span of ten minutes he had turned her world upside down. _

_Only when he had vacated the room did she realise that throughout their whole kitchen encounter she hadn't actually uttered a single word. Usually when she was nervous her brain to mouth filter disappeared which more often than not resulted in endless babbles and embarrassing innuendoes. Oliver Queen, by the looks of things, seemed to make her utterly speechless. _

_She looked down at the ring, shocked at seeing what seemed to be a priceless heirloom on her finger. The princess cut diamond in an intricately made setting was clearly an antique and she was scared to even acknowledge how much the jewel on her finger would cost. _

_Yep, she was way in over her head. _

**~:: Present Day ::~**

She looked breathtaking as she walked down the aisle towards him.

As he had told her the day that they had officially met, their situation wasn't ideal, but the fact that she was light personified made him feel the extra burden on his shoulders; he wasn't worthy of someone like her. She was good and caring and didn't deserve to be forever tied to someone like him, someone who was constantly plagued by demons, someone who had countless skeletons in his closet, someone who had that much blood on his hands.

But there was no other choice to make, they both had to go through with this and he thanked whatever powers that may be up high that at least she had a fairly good understanding of what she was getting herself into, her growing up in this world would make things easier for the both of them.

And no matter how much he didn't want to get married, no matter how much he didn't want to force his sister into giving herself away to Roy Smoak, there was nothing to be done. The decision was made and would have to be carried through or blood would be spilled, as countless lives would be lost in a mob war that nobody wanted or needed.

And it wasn't the fact that he didn't want to marry Felicity; he just never thought it was in the cards for him. The closest he had ever come to even imagining a future for himself was with Laurel Lance when he was eighteen. They had a wind whirl romance that made him rethink the life that had been set out before him, made him question the family ties that felt like they were stronger than steel, up until the point where she died in a car accident.

Since that day there had been countless women but he had never again let himself be close to anyone. His sister was the only one he allowed himself to get close to, as he blocked everything and everyone else out. Once he had taken over the family, life became simpler, he had a purpose and a goal in life and he channelled all the built up anger and frustration at the world to making the family stronger, richer, and more powerful. Untouchable.

That was until life once again sent a curveball his way. He didn't deserve this innocent girl, this vision in white, but here she was walking towards him with her eyes scanning the people around her, avoiding his gaze by looking at anything and anyone other than him.

He watched as she scanned the crowd, her eyes lingering on the flowers that were set up on either side of the room, he watched as her eyes drifted from Thea to Tommy and he could see her mind working a thousand miles per minute as she tried to figure them out. And then finally, _finally_, her eyes landed on his.

And the whole world stopped around them.

He watched as Roy untangled himself out of her firm grasp as his own sister stepped up to take the bouquet out of her hands. It wasn't until she stood before him that he forced himself into action, stepping towards her and gently grasping her hand, leading her towards the priest.

Prior to the ceremony he had requested the priest say the traditional wedding vows and Felicity had agreed, as it allowed both of them a sort of detachment from the proceedings. The only thing that had to add, as per custom, was one vow to each other.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the joining of two great families, the Queens and the Smoaks…"

The small warm hand currently shaking in his made him tune out of the ceremony to focus on the woman beside him. There wasn't much he could do to reassure her, to comfort her, but he did start tracing patterns on her palm with his middle finger, causing the shaking to stop and her shoulders to sag.

"…Oliver, please state your vow to Felicity".

He thanked God that he didn't miss that phrase in his preoccupation as he turned to look at her; steeling himself for the words that he was about to say.

"I vow to protect you with everything that I am and everything that I have for as long as I shall live".

He saw tears cloud her eyes as she understood the meaning of his vow and its importance, and he held his breath in anticipation for what she would say.

"Felicity, please state your vow to Oliver".

"I vow to forever support you. You will never have to walk alone for as long as I shall live".

Neither vows were a lie; there was no false hopes or promises of endless love. They both promised the most precious thing that they were able to give.

Nothing more, nothing less.

_**~:: Five Years Ago ::~**_

_Her dark curls flew in the wind as he sped them down the motorway on their way to the family beach estate two weeks after his eighteenth birthday. God he couldn't remember ever being this happy. He had always been given his freedom but the weight of his future responsibilities always weighed him down. Laurel Lance had given him hope for another life, made him think that just maybe there was a life outside of the family, outside of darkness that was the mob. _

_The next few moments he would remember in fine detail for the rest of his life. From the blaring horn to the sound of shattered glass as another car flew out of nowhere, t-boning their car right into the passengers side. He would later be told that she had died immediately upon impact, that she didn't feel any pain. That would be much later. In the minutes that followed the crash all he could think about was getting her out of the now totalled vehicle, of getting her to safety and to see her beautiful green depths one more time. _

_He had cradled her bloodied dead body in his arms in the middle of the road, oblivious to the chaos around him, until the paramedics had forced him away. _

_All his hopes and dreams of a happy life had died with her that day. He had lost the one thing that could have been his redemption and at the tender age of eighteen and now he had nothing to live for._

_Except his family, both blood and otherwise. _

**~:: Present Day ::~**

"Well I must say ladies and gentleman, I never thought that my best friend here would be getting hitched before me, but here we are, attending the most infamous wedding of the decade". Tommy Merlyn raised his glass in salute to the guests before him, picking up steam as he continued on with his best man's speech.

"Oliver Queen has been my best friend for longer than I care to admit, he is one of the strongest and most loyal men I have ever met and I am proud to call him my brother. By his side is Felicity Smoak, the most beautiful bride that I have ever seen and if she wasn't sitting next to Oliver I would probably consider stealing her for myself". The blush that spread across Felicity's cheeks and his words caused the audience to chuckle.

"But seriously, stand by each other, tough times are coming to us all and we need each other more than ever before. Stick by the family that just got a hell of a lot larger and stronger by this union. There is nothing that is more important than family, and together you will overcome anything".

He cleared his throat before continuing.

"Now, just on a side note, I would just like to point out that underneath this devilishly handsome exterior", and he gestured with his hands to himself as the crowd laughed at his expense, "Is a wonderful potential babysitter". The crowds chortling turned into roars of laughter at the exaggerated eyebrow wiggling and the blush that had now completely overtaken the bride's face at the meaning of his words.

"Oliver, I love you man. Felicity, I speak for everyone when I say; welcome to the family".

With a final rise of his glass and smile and nod towards the bride and groom's direction he downed his glass of champagne and reclaimed his seat.

It wasn't long after that the announcement for the first dance was made, causing Oliver to stand and reach for her hand, helping her get up and leading her towards the middle of the dance floor, since the ceremony Oliver's hand had strayed to the small of her back a couple of times but this was the first time they had touched as man and wife and she would be lying if she said that the warmth that radiated from him didn't effect her.

The start of their dance had been tense but as time went on and the rest of the bridal joined them, Tommy with a blonde woman that she was yet to meet and Thea surprisingly dancing with Roy, she felt his shoulders lose some of the tension that they held. She in turn managed to somehow forget where she was, unconsciously melting into the warmth of his arms as she looked at the people around her.

They had danced for a total of three songs when she felt his arms loosen from around her frame, one of his hands dragging down her forearm, reaching for and grasping her hand in his larger one, to lead them back to their main table.

Once seated she watched as he reached for her champagne glass, downing the remaining contents without preamble.

Her raised eyebrow demanded an explanation and he chuckled at her expression, remembering the way she had scrunched up her face at the expensive drink every single time she took an obligatory sip during speeches. "Well you're clearly not liking the Chandon. What do you drink?"

He loved the way she didn't hide her emotions from him, he dealt with liars and fakes on a daily basis and her truthful expressions where a breath of fresh air in his stale life.

"Oh, well then thank you for that then. I usually drink wine. Red".

She watched with mild surprise as a waiter scuttled towards them after a single flick of Oliver's wrist. Oliver demanded rather than asked for him to bring in the best red in the house and not two minutes later she had to physically contain her excitement when a bottle of 1982 Chateau Lafite Rothschild was brought to their table.

As she sipped on her wine and looked out at the dancing guests before her she had a lingering thought about her new husband. _Did he think he could get everything he wanted with a single flick of his wrist?_

_**~:: One Day Ago ::~**_

_As the wedding would be held at the Queen mansion, it had been agreed upon that the female bridal party would be getting ready at Felicity's house and therefore sleeping there the night before. Bridal party was a bit of an overstatement, apart from the bodyguards that had been increased in the last couple of weeks, the only person to stay with Felicity the night before her wedding was Thea Queen. Moira Queen, Oliver's mother, had made herself sparse after the initial introductions and Felicity had barely spoken a word to her since. _

_She liked Thea Queen, liked the way that the younger woman held herself and the confidence that seemed to radiate from her, protecting her from the outside world. The girl had strength that Felicity respected. _

_But beneath all that was a nineteen-year-old girl that was just trying to not feel overwhelmed by everything that was changing around her so suddenly. Felicity, being only twenty-one herself, was terrified of her coming marriage and she knew a kindred spirit when she saw one. So she had invited Thea to her room, under the pretence of needing help with her wedding dress. _

_The start of the night had been awkward to say the least, and it wasn't until Felicity started babbling from nervousness at having Oliver's sister in her room and the fact that she was terrified of getting married, that the ice was broken. _

_As the night progressed the girls opened up piece by piece, Thea telling her about her parents and Felicity relaying her own stories of what it was like growing up in the Smoak family. _

_The curiosity that burned in Thea's eyes could not be missed at the mention of own future husband's name, but her pride didn't allow her to ask any questions. Felicity answered Thea's unasked questions anyway, knowing her words would at least in some way comfort the young girl before her, and regaled some of the brighter stories of her childhood that starred Roy. _

_Thea in turn returned the favour, though not with stories but with a bit of advice for the blonde before her, "He's a hard man Felicity and the most stubborn person I have ever met, but he will protect those he loves fiercely. I wont tell you about his demons, those are his alone to reveal, but he does need some light in his life. All I ask is for you to be patient with him." _

**~:: Present Day ::~**

Felicity sat in the limo, shaking off the confetti that had just been thrown at them as they made their way out of the reception and into the awaiting car, trying to control the blush that overwhelmed her face at the catcalls and hollering that they had just escaped from.

Oliver wasn't oblivious, he knew that she was trying to do everything she possibly could to avoid looking at him, he knew she had questions; her expressive eyes gave her away every time. What shocked him to his core was that fact that she didn't ask him anything; this whole week she hadn't demanded one thing from him. Her one request was to have Roy lead her down the aisle and while he knew that this broke a serious tradition he couldn't deny her the one and only thing she had asked for.

In the grand scheme of things she could have demanded a lot more and he would have had to deliver, with all the pressure he was under for this wedding to go through there wouldn't have been any another choice.

But she hadn't demanded anything, hadn't pried into his life and hadn't asked him to open himself up to her before they became man and wife.

So for both of their sakes he answered what he was sure to be one of her most pressing concerns that she refused to voice.

"Hey," his voice was just barely a whisper but it still penetrated the still air of the quiet limo, making her look at him with her big blue orbs.

"We don't have to do anything, we will sleep in the same bed because that is what is expected of us but we will do just that; sleep."

Her eyes showed only gratitude for his words, her hand going to his forearm just above his cuff in silent thanks, and he saw her shoulders sag with relief.

He may have committed terrible crimes, may have maimed, killed and tortured countless men, but he would never hurt an innocent woman. He would never be the monster who forced himself onto someone unwilling, even one that was technically his wife. That was just one line that he would never cross.

He may not be able to fix their situation, he may not be able to give her the freedom that was being taken away from both of them, but he had vowed to protect her. Whether it was from his enemies, her family's enemies or himself, he would protect her till his last dying breath.

The hotel suite that had been booked for their first night together was beautiful, but she didn't have the energy to take much of her surroundings in, the day finally catching up with her as soon as she saw the king sized bed before her in a way that she never thought possible.

After struggling in the huge ensuite bathroom she finally gave up on undoing the back buttons of her dress herself, gathering up all her courage she finally stepped back into their room.

"Oliver."

Her raspy voice seeped into his veins as he turned to look at her, surprised to see that after the fifteen minutes that she had just spent in the bathroom 'getting undressed' she still had her wedding dress on. He himself had already removed his suit jacket, tie, belt, cufflinks and his fingers where currently in the process of undoing his shirt buttons.

"Could you help me with my dress buttons?"

Oh Lord above.

He moved slowly towards her, watching her turn her back to him revealing the long row of tiny buttons along the back of her dress. As his fingers got to work he couldn't help but run his pinkie finger along each exposed inch of creamy skin that was revealed to him with each popped button.

She held the front of the dress like a lifeline, not being able to look back at him when he was finished as she made her way back into the bathroom to change into her sleepwear.

The lights were already switched off when she entered the bedroom again, with him already on the bed on the right side, closest to the suite entry door.

As she slipped into bed and under the covers her only thought was; _this is certainly not the way I imagined sharing a bed with someone for the first time_.

She couldn't help but break the heavy silence that hung in the room.

"Goodnight Oliver," she whispered into the darkness.

"Goodnight Felicity," she heard his whispered reply just before she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

This was the first night of the rest of their lives.

.

**Thank you to everyone who has followed/favourited this story already! And most of all to those that have reviewed! Words cant even express my gratitude.**

**P.S. I am on the hunt for a beta. If you are interested please drop me a review or a message :))))**

**Love to all! **

**Stace - XOX**


	3. Clash of Blue

**Disclaimer – I do not own Arrow. **

**~:: Present Day ::~**

The wedding of Roy Smoak and Thea Queen was a much smaller affair than that of Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak, but it didn't lack any of the grandeur that was both expected and demanded from them.

It was held in the mansion's ballroom and Thea was grateful for the comfort that the familiar walls of her childhood home brought to her. The fact that her wedding was more a reinforcement of the bond between their families, rather than the actual statement that was her brother's marriage, allowed Thea the freedom to plan her own wedding the way she had wanted it.

And it was a lot smaller than what anyone would have expected of her.

With all the chaos that was her life, the changes that she had been forced into in the past couple of months, all she wanted was to have a peaceful ceremony followed by a lively reception. It still had to be grand of course, she was Thea Queen after all; the spoilt youngest child of the family and was used to getting exactly what she wanted. But in the hopes of distracting herself from her upcoming marriage she threw herself into the wedding planning, making sure that every single detail was perfect.

It wasn't that she didn't like Roy Smoak, she had enjoyed spending time with him and his wit caused her to become lighter more times than she would care to admit over the several times that they had seen each other in the last couple of weeks, but she did hate the situation she was in. She just hated to be forced into doing something. She had gotten away with a lot in her life, the responsibility of the family had always fallen on Oliver's shoulders, allowing her the freedom that she knew her brother had craved in his younger years but could never have.

And she had loved Oliver dearly, in her younger years her brother had been her idol and she would shadow him and Tommy constantly.

All that stopped when a car accident killed Laurel Lance and irreversibly changed her beloved brother forever. She had been fourteen when she had watched her brother's world flip upside down, watched him struggle to cope with everyday life as he threw himself into the one and only thing that made sense to him at the time. The Family.

There were no more games of hide and seek in the backyard, no more tea parties that him and Tommy had to endure for her sake even though they were way too old for it.

No, she wasn't used to doing something she didn't want to do; her brother had protected her from anything and anyone that could cause her harm her whole life. But here she was, bound to marry someone she didn't love for the 'greater good' of the family.

_**~:: One Day Ago ::~**_

_Thea Queen was startled out of her thoughts by the sound of a knock on her bedroom door, grumbling as she got up from her king-sized four poster bed that she had been sprawled across for the better part of the night. _

_The night before her wedding. _

_She would never admit to anyone how nervous she was but she felt like the very air around her was electrified, the pressure causing her whole body to endure the pain until she hit her threshold and became numb. _

_She moved towards the door, praying that there wasn't some emergency with the wedding details that she had meticulously planned out. She couldn't handle that on top of her already troubled thoughts. _

_Seeing the unsure blonde on the other side of the door made her calmer, knowing very well that if there was an issue Felicity would handle it herself or resort to her loud voice, all so that Thea wouldn't have to deal with anything herself. _

_They had formed an unlikely friendship, both liking the easy companionship that came with the life altering changes in both their lives. So for the two weeks that Felicity had been living with them Thea made an effort to get to know the other woman, and whether it was because she craved the close friendship that she had never had with another female given the sheltered life that she had led, or whether it was because she was drawn to the calm that settled over her every single time the blonde was around her, she would never know. _

_Felicity on the other hand had instantly liked the small brunette that exuded such confidence and poise, yet still managed to be vulnerable in the times when it mattered. She felt like the younger girl was a kindred spirit, both lacking a loving mother with Felicity's being dead and Thea's being terminally absent. _

_Felicity stepped into the room, knowing the wind whirl of questions that would be going through the girl's head. But she also knew that Thea would be too proud to say anything, to ask for anything if she needed it, so Felicity had decided to take the first step. _

"_Just wondering if you needed any help with anything? Needed to know anything? I know it might be awkward to ask and all but I thought if you needed to ask about the wedding or the wedding night, not that I could tell you a lot because you know awkward, but I don't know. And I think that it might be easier to ask me rather than your brother, because he might blow a gasket if you ask him anything in relation to his baby sister's sex life. Not that you can't ask me about anything else… and feel free to stop me with questions at any point…"_

_This was one of Thea's favourite things about Felicity. The woman's babbles knew no bounds and you could always count on the truthfulness of her words. She let out a sigh of frustration as she forced herself to utter the thoughts that had been plaguing her. _

"_There is one thing that…"_

_Felicity didn't interrupt with words as she watched Thea try and organise her thoughts, instead placing a hand on the girls forearm in a silent offer of comfort that she so obviously needed. _

"_It's just…well…I'm not a virgin."_

_Not understanding the problem, Felicity just raised her eyebrow in question. _

"_It's stupid, I know I don't owe him anything but what if he has a problem with it? What if he wanted a pure bride? Let's be honest, that's usually what is expected of us as the females in the family. And you of course would have been before Oliver, so I know it's what Roy would expect and…"_

"_I still am Thea." Her words where a mere whisper but Thea caught them nonetheless. _

"_What?! You're telling me that my brother the womaniser hasn't had his wicked way with the sexy blonde that's sleeping with him every night? What could he possibly be thinking? You wait till I get my hands on him…" _

_Felicity interrupted her before the rant could continue. She didn't want to dwell into why Oliver didn't want her. Yes she had been scared at first, but it was expected and they were married for God's sakes. They hadn't even shared a kiss yet past the necessary peck on the lips after the phrase of "You may now kiss the bride."_

"_Thea, that's not important right now. Right now you need to focus on you. So what if you're not a virgin? Roy would never have a problem with anything so insignificant. And if he does you can send him directly to me and I will give him a piece of my mind until he comes crawling back to you asking for forgiveness."_

_At her words Thea's face seemed to relax and she squeezed the girl's hand one last time before she reached over to the box that she had brought into the room with her. _

"_Now asking about your sex life wasn't my only reason to come and see you; I also wanted to give you this." _

_She opened the intricately carved wooden chest to reveal a jewel encrusted hair piece that lay within. _

"_Now I'm sure you know the saying something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue…"_

_Thea's eyes widened at the antique piece before her whispering, "It's beautiful but I can't accept this…"_

"_That's why I'm not giving it to you. My mother gave me this and it was passed down to her by my grandmother. This can serve to be your something old and something borrowed. Because I do expect you to give it back." _

_Thea felt the tears build up before she could stop them and she launched herself towards Felicity, smothering her in a hug trying to express all her gratitude through the gesture rather than in words. _

"_Now you've got the old and the borrowed, your dress can be the something new and all we need is the something blue?"_

_The two girls moved apart and Thea's eyes lit up with a playful glint as she stood up from the bed and walked over to her dresser, opening the top drawer slowly. _

"_I've got this, and I wasn't sure but…and you better not tell Oliver about this ever but…"_

_To Felicity's surprise and amusement she pulled out a light blue garter, with a matching lingerie set. Letting out a hearty laugh the two women shared a conspiratory glance between themselves. _

_Maybe things would look up for the both of them. _

**~:: Present Day ::~**

He shared a look with his sister as she walked down the aisle in her flowing emerald green bridesmaid gown and felt Oliver shift on his feet at the sight of Felicity. He hoped that she was happy, hoped the Oliver would protect her as he had vowed to do. But all thoughts of his sister and her husband flew out of his head when he saw his own bride, a vision in white, seemingly float towards him.

Yes they didn't love each other, yes life had thrown them together without a thought to their own wants and desires but he would damn well try and do everything in his power to make this relationship with the woman before him work. He hoped she would make this easier for the both of them, yes he saw the flashes of fear that peaked out from under the cracks of her confident exterior, but she seemed willing to try and that was more than he could have asked for.

She had always looked beautiful, the sassy air around her, the designer clothes that seemed to accentuate every curve of her body, the striking makeup that highlighted her eyes perfectly always appealed to him on a more primal level, but his breath caught when the veil was lifted and her face was revealed to him, the unobstructed view causing his heart to stutter in his chest. She looked breathtaking.

He was one lucky bastard.

And he couldn't remember feeling this nervous in his life

_**~:: Two weeks ago ::~**_

_The white curtains that were billowing from the gentle breeze coming into the room was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes, her subconscious slowly chasing away the sleep as the fog lifted and she took in her surroundings. _

_This definitely wasn't her room. _

_Yesterday's events came crashing down on her, the wedding, the vows, Oliver, everything that had created this new reality for her. Heaving out a slow sigh she gently turned over, not wanting to wake Oliver if he was still asleep, hoping to get up without him noticing and hopefully have a shower before he saw her in all of her morning glory, bedhead and all. But the effort was pointless for she soon realised that she was alone anyway, his side of the bed long cold when she felt the sheets. _

_She let out another sigh, this time in frustration at her life. She had barely slept the previous night, only managing to fall into the deep abyss of slumber in the early hours of the morning when the sun had already started peeking over the horizon. _

_She lay and wandered whether this would be and example of what the rest of her life would be like. _

**~:: Present Day ::~**

Him holding her felt surreal.

When she had walked down the aisle, for the second time that month, she felt a sense of déjà vu and thanked God that she wasn't the bride again.

And here she was, in the circle of her husband's arms for the first time in two weeks after joining Thea and Roy as they danced their first customary dance as man and wife.

The feel of him next to her, the warmth that radiated off his body, messed with her mind as thoughts that she had no business having flooded her mind. But then again he was _her_ husband after all wasn't he? She was allowed.

Unbeknownst to her, Oliver was having very similar thoughts as he held her close to his body, guiding her through the steps of the dance. It all felt very natural.

He knew he couldn't get too close to her emotionally, knew that he couldn't get attached so he tried to keep his distance from her but it was becoming increasingly difficulty with every moment that he spent with her. And the fact that with each second of the dance she seemed to relax further into his arms didn't help his resolve.

The strapless emerald dress and her blonde hair that had been styled up into a bun to expose the creamy skin of her shoulder and neck made him want to lower his head so that his lips could trail along her collarbone. It made him want to bury his nose in the golden locks, the smell of them wafting up to him and filling his nostrils with the most intoxicating scent of her. A smell that he could no longer avoid. It lingered in his shower, on his clothes and worst of all it clung on their red satin bed sheets.

The early hours of the morning where the hardest for him, when her sleeping body radiated the heat that he longed to touch, when her breathing washed a sense of calm over him that he hadn't experienced in a very long time.

The temptation to reach out and pull her to him was so strong, the single motion of his arm would be so easy, but for once in his life he took the coward's way out. For the past two weeks he had been leaving her snuggled and alone in their bed.

Far away from him and his demons that he would not allow to overtake her.

_**~:: A Week Ago ::~**_

_It was amazing how she managed to fall into a pattern of routine after the many turns that her life had taken in the span of two weeks. _

_She would wake up each day in much the same way as the very first morning that she had woken up in their bed; cold and alone. He would be at 'work' as she liked to call it in her head, preferring to not think about exactly what criminal activities he was partaking in for the family when he wasn't at home. She wasn't stupid, she knew exactly who she had married, who he was and what he was capable of, but she didn't want to delve into that particular rabbit hole just yet. _

_And so the days dragged on, she would wake up alone, have breakfast that was made by their housekeeper Raisa who she had instantly taken a shining to as the older woman reminded her so much of her mother. Her days would be spent with either Thea, their easy friendship she couldn't be more grateful for, or she would spend her time alone either reading or doing yoga and after the first week she realised that if she didn't find something to occupy her time she would very quickly loose her mind. _

**~:: Present Day ::~**

"Is he looking after you?"

Roy's words caused her to lift her head up off his shoulder, staring into her brother's warm eyes as she contemplated her answer. Roy had never been one for patience, taking her silence to mean something morbid and she realized her mistake when she saw his eyes darken with anger.

Her hand came up to his cheek in an effort to placate him.

"He does Roy; I don't see much of him at all to be honest. He's always out before I wake up and only comes home late at night. He wouldn't hurt me, you know that, he's just a bit…absent."

Roy knew that there wasn't much he could do about that, Oliver was not a man that could be told to care. If he had actually been hurting his sister, mentally or physically, Roy would be the first one in line to pummel the older man into the ground, not that he thought he stood even a chance against Oliver but it certainly wouldn't be for the lack of trying. He would protect his sister with every fibre of his being.

"I'll try and talk to him Liss."

But Felicity shook her head in response.

"This is my battle to win Roy. He's my husband and I'll deal with it. Whenever I figure out what _it_ is."

So the brother and sister swayed in the middle of the dance floor to the beat of the gentle music that was playing around them, holding onto the only family that they had left, mourning the loss of their parents. Mourning the loss of their childhoods.

_**~:: Four Days Ago ::~**_

_Felicity had reached the end of her line; she was bored out of her mind. _

_She had spent almost every single day in Oliver's library but there was only so much literature that a person could go through before they went cross-eyed. _

_Deciding that today was good a time as any to thoroughly explore the house that she would be calling 'home' for the rest of her life, she walked through each room taking in the beauty and extravagance that met her at every turn. From the dining hall to the ballroom, the Queen Mansion was a masterpiece that would never be displayed to anyone outside of the close circle of their family. _

_She was overwhelmed with all the elegance up until she took a look in the security room, the state of which physically hurt her soul. From the poorly organised computers to the very programs that they had running on their screens, she had never thought that something could be set up so … wrong. _

_She stepped further into the room, attracting the attention of the security men that were seated in front of the monitors, watching the security footage of the outside perimeters of the house. _

"_Guys I'm going to have to ask you to let me fix this disaster that you call a security system…"_

_Her request was met with two matching looks of shock from the heavily armed men in suits but she stared them down; no one would get in between her and the clearly unloved technology before her. _

"_I don't think that's possible Mrs Queen..." Began one of them but he was quickly cut off by the determined blonde. _

"_Exactly. I'm Mrs Queen, I am Oliver Queen's wife, and if I ask you to step aside so that I can fix something you will step aside."_

_She may be new to the whole marriage thing, but she had a fairly good grasp on the mob life and how it was run after growing up in the heart of it. _

_And he looked lost, as if he was at a complete loss as to what to do. She couldn't blame him really, she bet that in a life of dealing with hardened criminals, the Queen family and the lawmakers of Starling City, he had never crossed paths with a pissed off blonde that was technically in charge of him. _

_Once they finally stepped aside she took in the equipment before her, sitting in front of it as she heaved out a heavy sigh. _

_This would take a lot of work. _

_She didn't know how long she sat there but eventually she lost herself in the world of technology, taking stock of what was there and checking the current statuses of the feeds before her, updating everything she could and changing software completely on things that she couldn't. She mentally made a list of things that she needed Oliver to get to further protect and update the whole system while she drafted up some ideas for a new firewall._

_Well at least she now had a hobby. _

**~:: Present Day ::~**

It wasn't long before he stepped away from her to make the necessary rounds with the wedding guests in attendance. She was glad he didn't ask her to come with him and she had a feeling he knew how much she hated being showcased as if she were a trophy at their own wedding.

She walked towards the buffet, the tables laden with food making her stomach growl in response, and spotted Sara in her navy blue dress looking like her usual striking self.

"Thea and Roy look happy." Said Sara in greeting, laughing at the way the other blonde looked over at the food next to her hungrily.

"Don't laugh! I haven't had a chance to eat all day and I'm starving. Who was the smart person that catered the food to our house this morning? Everything had nuts in it! And I'm allergic to nuts. But yes, Thea and Roy look like they're enjoying themselves."

They shared a look of understanding between themselves; both knowing the heavy significance of happiness in the dark lives that surrounded them.

"And I know Roy will do everything in his power to make that girl happy."

"He better, or he might just have me to deal with."

But Felicity just laughed, "Get in line Sara, pretty sure I get the first turn at destroying him as his dear beloved sister. Then I'm pretty sure Oliver would want a go. If Roy's still alive after the two of us deal with him then you're more than welcome to add your own contribution to his injuries."

They shared a laugh at that but were soon interrupted by Tommy Merlyn himself.

"Now I can't hep but interrupt the two most gorgeous ladies in the room."

Felicity was getting used to the exuberant man that was Oliver's best friend. He seemed to have the gift of making people happy, could charm people into agreeing with him or to do things the way that he wanted them done, and that might very well have been why he was Oliver's right hand man in the family. That and the fact that Oliver trusted Tommy with his life.

And Felicity hadn't needed to spend a great deal of time with him before she realised that he was head over heels in love with Sara Lance.

She listened to them talk, not really paying attention to their conversation but rather enjoyed watching the body language between the two as she suppressed a chuckle. These two could not be more obvious.

"Do either of you two ladies want to go out for a spin with me? On the dance floor of course?"

His added wink made a smile appear her face.

"I'm a married woman Tommy, but I'm sure Sara would?"

She turned to her friend, laughing at the scrunched up face that looked at their male companion with distaste.

"I don't dance Merlyn."

Tommy dramatically clutched at his heart, his hand already reaching out for hers to lead Sara onto the dance floor.

"Nonsense, I've seen you dance. Now dance with me woman."

Felicity watched them leave, shaking her head and chuckling at their antics. As much as Sara might have protested while Tommy continued to drag her out onto the dance floor, Felicity knew that no one could truly force the other woman into doing anything that she didn't want to do.

Felicity had never met a woman that had Sara's combination of deadly lethalness and propensity for fun.

_**~:: Twelve Days Ago ::~**_

_The second day of living in the mansion started much like the first, she had woken up, showered and later found herself propped up on the kitchen bar stool, eating the food that had been cooked and laid out for her on the breakfast bar before her. _

_She was in the middle of an interesting article on strategic alignment in information technology when a woman came into the kitchen and Felicity instantly recognised her as the blonde that had danced with Tommy at her and Oliver's wedding, though she looked much different now. She was dressed in black leather pants and a white tank top that scream 'badass' and Felicity didn't know what the woman could possibly want from her when she caught her scrutinising gaze. _

"_I'm sorry but who are you? And I don't mean that in a rude sense, but in the actual sense, because you kind of strolled right into here and I'm pretty sure security wouldn't have let you in if you were an outsider, which you're clearly not because here you sit in front of me, even though you look like an assassin. Oh God, please don't be an assassin, I really couldn't deal with that right now…"_

"_You're cute."_

_The observation startled her but almost made her smile. The 'assassin's' words weren't condescending or rude, but rather sounded like a compliment and she felt like the other woman didn't give them out too freely. _

_She watched as the woman extended her hand towards her, "I'm Sara Lance. Oliver put me in charge of your security, be your bodyguard so to speak."_

_Felicity met her hand halfway and shook it with confidence. _

"_Well you already know me, but why would I need more? Pretty sure the house is overflowing with security, and I've always got Pace and Cody when I go out? Not that I don't appreciate the thought…"_

"_You wont always be inside the mansion Felicity, and when you do go out Oliver thinks that you should have something…someone…extra." _

_Felicity nodded in agreement, having a bodyguard was nothing new to her. _

"_Okay, but you have to call me Felicity. I'm going out of my mind with all of Oliver's minions calling me 'Mrs Queen'. Makes me feel old. And reminds me of his mother and she kind of terrifies me."_

_Sara leaned in closer to Felicity with an impish smile on her face. _

"_I've known Oliver since we were kids; some of the stories that I could tell you about him and Moira Queen, lets just say you'll never be scared by either one of them again. It's hard to be intimidated when you've see one of them running around with a potty seat on his head while the other one chased him around in broken heels across the living room."_

_From that moment on they both knew that they would get along like a house on fire. _

**~:: Present Day ::~**

Felicity couldn't suppress the smile that overtook her face at the sight of Thea and Roy cutting their wedding cake, enjoying the way that the newlyweds seemed to be so carefree and young. She was well aware of the antics that Thea could get up to after two weeks of living with the girl and noticed the mischievous grin that spread on her face well before an unsuspecting Roy. Felicity watched as the younger girl brought the dessert up to his face but rather than place it in his mouth she smothered the delicacy across his mouth and right cheek.

Her ringing laugh carrying around the dining hall was contagious as both the guests and the wedding party enjoyed the spectacle before them. The look of outrage on Roy's face was quickly engulfed by a smile as he looked at the sheer happiness that radiated off his new wife.

Wife.

He never would have thought that he would be married at the age of twenty-two, but here he was a couple of hours after uttering terrifying words like "I do", and "Till death do us part".

Pulling his thoughts away from that particular train of thought he focused on Thea Queen. Or rather Thea Smoak. That girl was one hell of a surprise. She was smart, witty, funny, carefree and he couldn't even begin to guess how she had avoided being engulfed, or at the very least touched, by the darkness that encircled her brother. From the several encounters they had had since the announcement of their betrothal, he had learned that she could give just as well as she got and he found himself looking forward to the banter that always ensued whenever they were in close proximity to each other.

And her little cake trick needed payback.

"Careful baby, if you get it anywhere else you'll be the one cleaning me up."

He watched as she visibly gulped at his words, her eyes darkening a shade and he didn't even want to think about what that could mean. That was a dark and extremely tempting boundary for them that he knew she wasn't ready to cross yet, no matter how much he wanted it.

Oliver looked on from across the room as Roy Smoak whispered something in his baby sister's ear, watching as a blush spread down her face and onto her neck, and he felt his fingernails break the skin of his palm. He knew he had no right to stop the couple, they were married now for god's sakes and he had always know that his sister wasn't a wallflower her whole high school life, but she would always be his _baby_ sister. He felt that his overprotective big brother instincts were perfectly justified.

The tension flowing from him alerted Felicity of his discomfort and she followed his line of sight, smiling as she watched her brother's eyes widen at whatever his new bride had whispered into his ear. She deliberated with whether to offer Oliver some form of comfort, choosing to bite the bullet and place a hand softly on his shoulder. His eyes instantly flew to hers in question and she felt a stabbing pain in her chest at his reaction. She wanted the easy interactions that Thea and Roy had, wanted to be able to enjoy a carefree moment of laughter with her husband, wanted to reach out to him without fearing his reaction to her touch.

She wanted what Roy and Thea had; something new and fresh and exciting. A future that was full of potential.

They weren't that much older, Thea being nineteen and only two years younger than Felicity, while Roy at twenty-two was just under three years younger than Oliver.

Their situations weren't that different, they were all constrained by their parents into marriages that they were neither ready for nor wanted, yet somehow Roy and Thea seemed to be making it work, or at the very least trying to.

So where had Oliver and her gone wrong?

_**~:: Four Days Ago ::~**_

"_What the hell do you think you're doing?" His hissing voice made her whole body visibly freeze from tension. _

_He had practically flown home after receiving a distressed phone call from one of his security people telling him that she had all but demanded to look into their computer systems. What could she possible want in them? Why hadn't the stupid idiot stopped her? _

_He should have known better than to think that he could intimidate her into giving up whatever she had planned. _

"_I'm updating your 'security system' and yes I'm using quotation mark hand gestures because this is atrocious and actually hurts my soul. When was the last time someone had a good look at these babies? Its like someone put them here in the eighties, and not the good part of the eighties but the horrible bad part with Madonna and leg warmers, and forgot about them…"_

"_Felicity!" His voice vibrated off the walls in the small enclosed space and she couldn't have suppressed the jump even if she tried. _

"_This is none of your concern or business!"_

_Again he underestimated her. Yet again she didn't back down from him. _

"_Like hell its not! Remember the whole richer or for poorer thing that we said a week ago? Remember your vow to protect me? Well this is _me_ protecting _you_! And us and the family! This is now my family and my business, just as much as it is yours, and if it were to go down I would go down with it. So I will not let some shitty security set up be the reason why our family crumbles when I could have fixed it with a couple of days of hard work. And new equipment, which you will be paying for."_

_Men had been killed by his bare hands for less. No one yelled at him. No one stood up to him and lived. They listened and they did as they were told and if they didn't they wouldn't be alive for long enough to tell the tale. _

_And now his little blonde spitfire of a wife yelled at him. Told him he was wrong. Stood up to him. _

_And she wanted to protect _him_. She wanted to protect their families. _

_He had met his match in the babbling blonde before him._

_He let his hand rub his eyes before making it move along the stubble of his jaw in frustration. _

"_Just next time warn me before you do something this crazy alright? I don't want my men at a loss when a woman that's barely over five feet starts bossing them around."_

_She shoots the men that had been standing silently in the doorway of the room an indignant look. _

"_I'm five foot two thank you very much. "_

_He tried very hard to maintain a calm façade, tried very hard to suppress the smile that threatened to bloom across his face at her fire. _

_He failed. _

**~:: Present Day ::~**

He understood with his head that he couldn't get close to her. Yes, she was his wife and would already be seen as one of his weaknesses, but to be a woman that Oliver Queen loved would be synonymous to him painting a target on her back.

So he would continue to stay away, would continue to keep her at arms length and reign himself in every time he was near her.

He ignored the little voice in the back of his head that said that he was already way in over his head.

.

**This is the longest chapter I have ever written. **

**Your support has been amazing, with over 100 follows for this story already I'm amazed yet again by how awesome you guys truly are. Thank you to each and every person that reviewed, I can't even tell you how stupid I look at work every time I get a notification on my phone and I read the review. **

**Love to each and every one of you! **

**\- Stace - XOX**


	4. Needs Tainting

**Disclaimer – I dot not own Arrow. **

**~:: Present Day ::~**

Felicity felt a rush of warmth as soon as she stepped into the house that had nothing to do with the cold weather outside and everything to do with the flood of emotions that her childhood home brought on.

She took in the familiar wooden wall panels that showcased various family photos, all from decades ago in the time where their family had still been whole, the huge winding staircase that led to the bedroom that had been her sanctuary her whole life, and a stabbing regret filled her body at the turn that her life had taken in such a short span of time. A turn that she had neither anticipated nor wanted.

The fall of footsteps brought her out of her reverie and she shook herself out of the trance that she had been in, looking towards her smiling older brother walking towards her. Within a flash she was engulfed in Roy's warm, strong arms, his bear hug being returned by her with equal fervour as she buried her face in his neck.

She had missed him. Missed his carefree smile, missed being around his easy presence and the protectiveness that he had always shown her.

"Hey you." She breathed into his neck.

"Well look who finally decided to grace us with her presence. Where have you been?" His tone was light but still enquiring, not letting go of her completely as she stepped out of his arms.

"I've been busy Roy, updating Oliver's system".

At his sly smile she thought over what she said and felt the heat of a blush overtake her face. "Not like that you creep! God why does my brain find the worst possible way to say things?"

His answering chortle was greeted by a several blows to his chest and his hand moved to hers in an effort to restrain the offending limb.

"Jeez, Liss calm down. You can update Oliver's system as much as you want…"

The slap upside the head he didn't see coming.

"Okay, okay. Where is Oliver anyway? He did say this morning he was coming."

She snorted at that. Roy saw more of Oliver than she did lately with them both in the middle of joining the family businesses.

"He said that he got caught up with something and that he'd be late."

She didn't like the worried look that crossed over Roy's face but the sound of Thea calling her name from the direction of the kitchen halted all her questions.

"You better go Liss, she's a bit of a firecracker when she doesn't get what she wants." The smile on his face belied his words and she was glad her brother had found happiness in the situation he had been thrown into.

Now if only she could say the same thing.

_**~:: Three Days Ago ::~**_

_The weeks following both weddings were filled with an uproar of activity. The moulding of the two families was a colossal undertaking that required both men to work together to establish a new world order._

_Their new world. _

_With the consolidation came more strength, new business, more opportunities to branch out and more allies. But with it also came the need for more control, they both understood that with the sheer size of their new family would paint a bigger target on their back from both the authorities and competitors, and they both worked diligently in the hopes of smoothing out every kink, trying to find every hole in their network to prevent any unforseen problems in the future. _

_The meshing of the two families also meant that their men had to come together, learn to work together, and that was proving rather difficult. _

_They stood now watching as men unloaded alcohol from the back of a van and into Roys' new nightclub, Verdant. The place was the newest and biggest nightclub in Starling City, and since its opening three months ago, had quickly become the place to be on any night of the week. _

_And it had served the family well in those months, being the perfect cover for all sorts of meetings that were best hidden from prying eyes. _

"_I'm thinking of branching out."_

_Oliver's only response was to lift his eyebrow in question, curious as to what Roy had in mind. In the weeks after Oliver met him he had gotten to know Roy quite well. The street smarts that the younger man had weren't uncommon in their world, almost essential even, but his keen eye for new business opportunities had impressed Oliver. That was paramount in their line of work. _

"_Underground casino." He said and gestured for Oliver to follow him inside. _

"_Or in this case top floor casino. We both know they're rare in Starling, its an untapped sector that really needs to be looked into. The club works as our cover well enough but why not add a bit more to it?"_

_He gestured to the staircase that currently led to the offices above the dance floor. _

"_We've got the perfect space, renovate the top floor and we've got ourselves an elite gambling ring where the buy in is high and the stakes are even higher."_

_Oliver nodded in response. _

"_I agree that we need to look into the gambling sector but why here? Why the club that already serves as your cover?"_

"_If someone does go looking into something suspicious I'd rather them find the casino than the more important things that go down here. No one would think to sniff around deeper, and if they do we'll be tipped off when they find the casino."_

"_Then why don't you convert the basement into a sort of headquarters? Meetings could be conducted like they are now in the VIP section, but we can keep the basement secret, only for the family."_

_Roy nodded along eagerly, ideas already forming of what the basement could look like, "I like it. But we will need to set up formal headquarters somewhere Oliver…"_

"_We will. We just need to wait for the dust to settle first."_

**~:: Present Day ::~**

Felicity followed the smell of roast beef into the kitchen, almost laughing out loud at the image of Thea Queen in an apron in front of the stove.

"Well don't you look all domesticated."

The brunette turned to face her with the speed of a ninja, holding the stirring spoon as if it was the deadliest saber known to man.

"You may be my sister in law but I will hurt you. Now, no mocking the person that's making you dinner and give me gossip."

Felicity laughed at that, her hands up in the air in mock surrender, as she moved towards the bar stools on the opposite side of the kitchen bench.

"There's nothing much that's new Thea, Sara's pretty much the same as always…"

"She's still resisting Tommy's efforts then?" Thea said with a smirk.

"You knew about them?" Felicity said with surprise.

Thea scoffed at that. "Of course I knew. Those two couldn't be more obvious if they tried. I don't really understand why Sara's resisting it so much, its pretty much inevitable by this point".

Both women nodded in silent agreement at the sentiment.

"Mmm, they really are aren't they? Other then that, nothing much that I know of. Oliver's head of security is coming back into town apparently from some overseas trip soon…"

Felicity was cut off from continuing by the squeal that left the younger woman's lips.

"Uncle Digg's coming back!?"

"Um, yes? I'm guessing you know him?"

"Do I know him? He's been with us for practically as long as I can remember. Him and Ollie are very close. But he's amazing, more like a second much older brother to me than security but that's his official title in the family; John Diggle, Ollie's head of security."

Felicity's curiosity was peaked at this. This man clearly had a lot of influence over Oliver, its not like her husband had very many friends, so his opinion would matter a lot to him. So why wasn't he at the wedding? And what if he didn't like her? What would he think of their situation?

She quelled that train of thought as she forced her brain into tuning back to what Thea was saying.

"…between the three of them they would get up to a heap of trouble that dad would never have approved of. Usually between Tommy's charm, Oliver's glare and John's size they could get out of practically any situation. Speaking of which, how's the situation with my brother going?"

Felicity thought she knew where Thea was going with this but still hoped she was wrong.

"What situation?"

"Don't play dumb, it doesn't suit you. Has my brother stepped up and fulfilled his husbandly duties yet?"

"Thea, that's not really appropriate, you're his sister, and anyway…"

"Oh Lordy he still hasn't has he? What the hell is wrong with that man?"

By now Felicity was past the point of embarrassment and not in any frame of mind to answer the very particular question of what exactly was wrong with her husband. He clearly didn't want her, which was fine and she could understand that, but what hurt the most was the fact that she knew he was a man and a man with needs. So more likely than not he was getting what he needed from someone else. And she knew it wasn't rational, knew that she shouldn't have expected anything else from him given their arrangement, but it still hurt her heart.

"It's fine Thea. We never made any arrangements for that, he never promised me anything so if he needs to go out to another woman that's well within his rights…"

"Oh my God! You think he's cheating on you!"

It was a statement of fact but Felicity still felt the need to defend Oliver for some reason.

"It's not cheating Thea. It's fine honestly. I'll be fine, as long as he doesn't bring them home. That's one thing I wont stand for. Other than that he's free to live his life the way he wants to."

Thea Queen watched the blonde rise from the bar stool and leave the kitchen with sombre eyes, not knowing how she could help the other woman. Help her brother. Thea was perceptive, always had been, and she could see that if they both tried to make it work they would fit together perfectly. The blonde was the perfect match for her brother; her fiery temper and fierce loyalty and protectiveness was something that he desperately needed in his life. For once in his life have someone look after him, care for him.

Thea knew that Felicity would do it, if given the chance.

Now she just had to knock some sense into her dear old brother.

_**~:: Three Years Ago ::~**_

_She knew she was being a brat, knew that she looked like she was the spoilt princess of the family that was just vying for someone's attention but she didn't care. Because that's exactly what she was. _

_She needed someone, anyone, to look at her and not through her. To see her as a person and not a hindrance. _

_Her parents had basically given up on her, her father always out being the ever-demanded crime lord that he was, and her mother was just absent. She didn't know what she did when she went out but on those rare occasions that Moira Queen did grace the house with her presence Thea would find her in the lounge, an empty bottle or two next to her as she steadily worked her way through the wine cellar's extensive collection of fine brews. _

_And her brother had turned into a shell of the man that he once was. Gone was the spark of mischief from his eyes that had always been present when she was growing up. Gone was the rugged laugh that always calmed her. _

_She had lost track of the amount of times that she had cursed Laurel Lance for meeting her brother. Cursed her for dying and taking her beloved brother away from her, even though they were living in the same house. _

_At the ripe age of fifteen Thea Queen learned that excellent grades and good behaviour didn't get you noticed. Didn't make people around you care. _

_She didn't have any friends to turn to, she had long ago turned away from them in her grief, so she went to a party. And for one night there was an escape. An escape from her brutally twisted reality that allowed her to not feel the pain that had been twisting her insides out. _

_One party turned into ten, one boy turned into countless. And the alcohol flowed and the drugs multiplied with the speed that only Queen money could buy. _

_It didn't get her any extra attention from her family, she didn't even think they noticed she was out of the house half of the time, but it did provide her with the freedom she didn't even know she had been craving. _

**~:: Present Day ::~**

"Bring me food woman."

He knew that comment would earn him a slap upside the head from one of the two women with him, his wife beating his sister to the punch by a millisecond.

"You know if I hear you talking like that again you can kiss your clean criminal history goodbye Roy Smoak. People might get the impression that you were raised wrong and we wouldn't want that to get out now would we?" His sister warned him in a honey-toned voice. "You'd be surprised how much information could accidentally get dumped into the SPCD's database about a certain young man and his worldly ways."

Thea snorted at the blonde's comment. She loved the banter that she witnessed every single time she saw the brother and sister together; there was so much love between them that it almost made her jealous on some days.

"Oliver needs to get here, I'm outnumbered by you two ganging up on me yet again."

He was surprised at how well he had adjusted to this new life, at just how happy he was.

He couldn't have hoped for a better wife, one that suited him in every way possible. He loved her attitude, her sass and smarts that had him constantly on his toes when he was around her.

Every single moment that he had spent with her had been perfect, from the lazy late nights watching TV at home to their wedding night that had left him blissfully speechless, he felt like he didn't deserve any of this.

She made things easy, made their interactions simple, and he couldn't have been more grateful that someone somewhere had decided that she would be his forever.

He barely listened to the conversation that was underway between his sister and wife as he loaded food onto his plate, more concerned with watching Thea and her reactions rather than what was actually being said.

He didn't resist the urge to put a hand onto her jeans clad thigh under the table to feel the warmth beneath that he knew would burn the skin of his palm. And he certainly didn't miss the way that her eyes darkened a shade while she resolutely refused to look at him and show any reaction in front of Felicity.

They were still in the early stages were a single touch could ignite a fire, and he loved every minute of it. She could ignore him all she wanted for now; she would be all of his later on that night.

Yes, he was very happy with the situation he had been thrown into.

_**~:: Three Days Ago ::~**_

_Roy had started shaking the rain from his coat as he stepped into their home when he heard the sound of her heels coming towards him. _

_Her smile took his breath away yet again and he couldn't help but let his eyes skim over the tight pants and heels that made her legs look amazing before he brought his gaze up to meet her eyes. _

"_Stop flooding the entry and take off the coat already Roy."_

_But he ignored the comment, choosing instead to step closer to her. _

"_I've got a present for you." He loved the way her eyes lit up and he vowed to do this more often if that's the reaction that he would get. _

_He had been in an abandoned warehouse that afternoon, hashing out a few issues with a few less than savoury characters with Sin, and just before he had left the building he had noticed the ball of grey fur hiding behind some building supplies that had been long forgotten. _

_He didn't even think before picking up the creature and stowing it in his pocket, ignoring the gleeful smirk sent his way by Sin. _

"_What is it?" Thea's voice was cautious but curious and his smile widened further as he reached into his pocket, carefully taking out the small kitten and depositing it in his wife's awaiting hands. _

_Shock was quickly overtaken by wonder as she held the creature to her chest and tickled under its jaw, cooing at the purr that resulted from her ministrations. _

"_So we skipped right past the dating stage, jumped straight into marriage, and now a kitten? What next Smoak? You'll want kids from me?"_

_She laughed at his dumbfounded expression, choosing to take pity on her new husband and moved to kiss him on the cheek instead. _

"_Calm down tiger, I'm joking." She stepped away, needing to put some space between them, but not too much. "Thank you, I love him."_

_He answered with a nod, his mind still trying to chase away the images of her pregnant with his child from his mind. It was way too early for those kinds of dangerous thoughts. _

_Plus, Oliver might just kill him. _

"_Lets name him Harper."_

**~:: Present Day ::~**

It had been a hell of a long day, just about everything that could have possibly gone wrong did and he was just glad that it was over.

He slipped into the house quietly, nodding at the security stationed at the entrance, but made sure to make some noise to announce his arrival as he made his way into the dining room where his wife, sister and her new husband sat.

"Ollie! You're finally here!" Thea said, he tone both worried and reprimanding.

"Sorry I'm late, got held up sorting some things downtown."

He took the vacant seat next to Felicity, watching as she unconsciously starting piling food onto his previously empty plate and making sure that it was still warm for him. He couldn't surpass the wave of gratitude towards the woman by his side.

"Is everything alright?" Roy's concerned voice broke through his thoughts and he was about to reply when his sister cut him off with a raised hand.

"Nope. No Ollie. No talk of business at the dinner table, that was the one rule we stuck to our whole lives and its not going to change now."

He nodded along with Roy at her request, knowing when to choose his battles when it came to Thea.

He didn't fail to notice the look of sadness that passed between the two women at the table as Felicity placed his plate in front of him, curiosity burning in his chest at the cause.

_**~:: Three Years Ago ::~**_

_Roy had always known what his family did, what they were capable of and how business was run in their world. Being the only son in the family he had always known the responsibility of being brought into the fold would rest upon his shoulders. He was happy to be the one to do it in order to save his sisters innocence, to keep her away from the very grim horrors that this life brought to the soul. _

_But even he wasn't prepared for his first kill, an execution no less. _

_There was really no other way to go about it, it was kill or be killed and he knew that a quick death for the man before him on his knees was the lesser of two evils. He knew exactly what his father's men were capable of when it came to traitors, what kinds of torture could be inflicted on the flesh. _

_Roy didn't allow himself to think, didn't allow his mind to become flooded with thoughts as he pulled the trigger. _

_He was rushed out by his father's men soon after, before he could freeze up in panic at seeing the life drain out of the mans face. _

_But the cold dead look in the man's eyes would haunt his dreams for many years to come. _

**~:: Present Day ::~**

"Ollie."

That tone never bode well for him and he knew that whatever his sister had planned would lead nowhere good.

"Thea."

He looked around for either Roy or Felicity in the hopes of distracting Thea's attention from him with no luck.

"Don't you Thea me. What the hell have you been doing with Felicity?" her tone was sharp and it sent waves of confusion through him.

"What do you mean? I haven't done anything to her." What was she talking about? What had he missed? Was it something to do with the look that had passed between them at the dinner table?

"That's the problem you idiot! You've done nothing! How do you think that makes her feel? She's all alone in that big mansion and trust me when I say I know exactly what that feels like. She's your wife and you haven't even tried to be with her!"

Oliver was in shock. What the hell was happening?

"Thea, I'm not going to force myself onto an unwilling woman just because she's my wife! I will not taint her with my life."

Thea openly sneered at that.

"You might not want to taint her, but let me tell you; that girl needs a bit of tainting if you know what I mean," she paused as she watched her brother roll his eyes at her comment, "She's a beautiful woman, holed up in a mansion going half crazy, Ollie. She thinks you're sleeping with other women because you don't want her."

At that Oliver literally choked on air. Where did she get that ludicrous idea from? How could he not want her? How could he even think of going to another woman?

"I'm not! As if I would do that to her!" He yelled indignant.

"I know that you moron but she doesn't!"

But what could he do? He refused to taint her; she was already too deeply embedded into this world. He didn't need Thea to remind him of how beautiful his little blonde genius was, he was reminded of that fact every single time he watched her walk past his men. She might be completely oblivious to the lustful gazes that followed her but he wasn't.

She was like a ray of sunshine that threatened to tear down every single barrier that he had carefully erected over the years. Her being in the same room as him made a sense of warmth flood through his veins that he hadn't felt in years.

He watched Thea shake her head at him, her warm voice washing over him as she placed her palm on his cheek and looked up into his eyes.

"You have to talk to her Ollie. Maybe not tell her everything but you have to open yourself up a little bit. She's your wife and she deserves to know at least something about her husband. Prove to her that she's not just a shadow waiting in the wings for something that's never going to happen."

Her words made it seem so easy but he didn't even have the slightest idea where to start.

_**~:: Two Years Ago ::~**_

_The chamber was dark and dank; the smell of mould and blood permeating the air and filling his nostrils. Cold seeped into his bones as the sounds of his steps echoed across the concrete and metal walls and pillars around him. _

_The remnants of a man lay before him after being thoroughly worked over by Oliver's men that now stood a few meters away. _

_He had spoken to the SPCD and this was his punishment. It was both an execution and a show of power, of control. No one crossed the Queen family and lived. _

_He steeled himself to not feel anything as he looked at the sobbing mess of a man before him; he was good at it by now, a trained weapon and killer in the name of the family. _

_This wasn't his first kill, it certainly won't be his last, and he let his heart grow cold as he readied himself to take yet another life. _

_Oliver Queen pulled the trigger. _

**~::: Present Day ::~**

He waited in anticipation for the perfect time to strike. Each passing day pushing him closer towards his goal.

He knew everything about Oliver Queen. From his schedule, the framework of the family business to the people closest to him, every single aspect of the man's life lay before him. Canvased like the rarest forms of artwork before his eyes.

A photo of his sister, Thea Queen, crossing the road.

Roy Smoak's birth certificate.

A photo of Tommy Merlyn, his best friend, at a charity gala.

A newspaper cut out announcing the wedding of Felicity Smoak and Oliver Queen.

These people would all be chess pieces in the game against Queen.

Because Oliver Queen would pay for what he had done to him.

He would make sure of it with his last dying breath.

.

**Thank you all for your reviews – they are better than chocolate. **

**This story will be picking up steam sooner rather than later and I'm hoping you will like the direction that it will take in the next chapter. **

**Anyway, as always please let me know what you think, your opinions mean the world to me. **

**On a side note – I broke two toes! I got into a fight with an evil glass table that decided to fall on me. Let me tell you – painful. **

**Stay safe everyone! No injuries please!**

**Love to all – Stacey. XO**


	5. Collision Course

**Disclaimer – I do not own Arrow. **

_**~:: Three days ago ::~**_

_The white noise around her was deafening, the panic building up inside of her blinding, as she tried to understand what the hell had just happened around her. _

_She blinked in the hopes of clearing the white specks out of her vision, the pounding in her head growing worse. _

_What the actual hell?_

_She turned to her side, groaning at the cold hard concrete below her that was piercing into the skin of her legs, looking around and attempting to process everything around her. _

_Roy was missing. _

_Sara was a couple of meters away from her, the tell-tale sign of blood seeping out of her leg forcing Felicity into action. She moved to the blonde woman's side, ignoring her own pain as she automatically applied pressure to the bullet wound in the hopes of somehow slowing down the blood flow. _

_The screeching of tires, the masked men, all came back to her slowly as she fumbled to get her other hand free, reaching up and feeling for a pulse in the unconscious woman's neck. She let out a breath of relief when her fingers found the heartbeat, weak but there nonetheless, but the panic within her continued to grow with each move she made, choking her until even drawing a breath became painful. Felicity tired to push it aside and clear her thoughts, her free hand fumbling in search of Sara's phone as her own being too out of reach to even bother with. _

_When her fingers finally grasped the device she brought it up to her ear instantly, not even dwelling on who to call. _

_The phone rang for a total of two rings. _

"_Sara." _

_His gruff voice made the semblance of calm that she had been desperately trying to hold onto crack and she had to close her eyes in order to try and steady herself enough to speak. _

"_Oliver."_

_That one word was enough. His wife's distressed voice calling from Sara's mobile sent him on instant alert, the alarm bells ringing in his head, driving every single other thought out as his mind focused solely on her. _

"_Where are you?!"_

**~:: Present Day ::~**

She felt numb.

She didn't register the warmth of the fireplace in front of her; she wasn't even sure who had placed the woollen blanket across her shoulders to be honest. And the alcohol in her hand wasn't helping, the wine glass only serving to be a mild distraction from the thoughts running rampant in her mind.

Felicity was well past the point of caring about the small things.

She sat in the lounge room of her home waiting for her husband to bring her brother home. Where he belonged. The two men closest to her where out, God knows where and there was absolutely nothing that she could do. This wasn't something she could hack into and fix; there was nothing for her to do in order to help either one of them at this point.

And she hated being helpless, absolutely loathed not being able to do something, anything, to bring Roy back.

The silence engulfed her, pressing down on her as once again the memories of the day that Roy had been taken flooded her mind.

Why was this her life?

What had she done to deserve this?

_**~:: Three days ago ::~**_

"_Enough with the dramatics Roy, you love hanging out with us."_

_A grumbling Roy had followed Sara and Felicity through what felt like every single store on the Starling City shopping strip, cursing the fact that he had agreed to this in the first place. _

"_Felicity when you said you wanted to spend some quality time with me this wasn't exactly what I had in mind."_

"_Quit whining Roy, we're almost done…" Sara's voice trailed off as she looked into yet another shop window, something obviously catching her eye. _

"_Oh no you don't, I know that look!" Said Roy, his finger pointing at the still occupied blonde, "No, step away from the shop Sara. Come on lets go get food, I'm starved and you know a man's got to eat…"_

_The women exchanged a look of amusement over his head at his whinging but eventually took pity on him, Felicity moving to clutch onto his arm like she had done so many times in the past. _

"_Let's go then Sara, before someone sees the big bad mob boss begging for food in the middle of the street." Said Felicity, earning a glare from Roy and a laugh from Sara. _

"_Big Belly Burger isn't far from here, lets…"_

_But Roy's sentence was never finished. _

_The sound of screeching tires was unexpected and none of them were prepared for two black vans to run onto the curb in front and behind them, eliminating all possibilities of escape. Masked men rushed at them, brutally forcing down Felicity and Sara onto the pavement, prepared for the blonde assassin's attempts to free herself with one quick blow to the head and bullet to the leg._

_As Felicity's head hit the unforgiving ground below her she watched as Roy was manhandled into the van, her only remaining family being taken away from her in broad daylight. _

**~:: Present Day ::~**

Visiting Sara had been hard, seeing the guilt all over the woman's face made Felicity want to scream. Her soul was already being ripped to shreds at the thought of her brother missing, God only knows what was being done to him and why. She didn't have enough room in her heart for other emotions like pity when she was being drowned in confusion, anger and helplessness already.

She knew Sara was blaming herself for what happened to Roy. For not being quicker, not being the one to be taken, for countless other reasons that Felicity didn't even try to fathom.

Felicity knew it wasn't her fault, knew that it wasn't any of their faults.

She also knew that whoever did this would pay, pay for taking Roy, and pay for the turmoil that her new family was being put through.

_**~:: Three days ago ::~**_

_She could feel the cold seep into her limbs, her body slowly shutting down and protecting itself from the panic that was overwhelming her. The pressure that she had been applying to Sara's leg didn't seem to be helping, the blood that was steadily seeping out covering both their clothes and her hands. _

"_Felicity!" _

_She almost cried at the sound of her name, turning around to see Oliver rushing to her. His face is pale and filled with anger but she welcomes the sight of him all the same, the emotions she's been trying to keep at bay coming to the surface. _

_He watches as her blue eyes fill with tears, he can see that she is about to lose the little self control that she has been clutching to and all he wants to do is gather her into his arms, protect her from all the hurt that is so clearly going through her. _

_His knees hit the pavement next to her before he even realises what he's doing, his hands reaching out to her on their own accord. He needs to touch her, to feel her warmth, to feel the steady rhythm of her heart beat under his fingertips. _

_But he doesn't know if his touch would be welcomed, isn't sure that she'd be okay with the comfort that he wanted to give. _

_As soon as one of his men take over applying pressure to Sara's wound, doing the little that they can with the limited supplies that they have as they wait for the ambulance to arrive, Felicity makes the decision for him. _

_She goes from looking down at her blood stained hands one second to launching herself into his embrace in the next, her arms winding around his shoulders, her fingers finding home in the hair at the nape of his neck, inhaling his scent as she buries her face in his neck. _

_Eventually his hold on her loosens, but his hands don't leave her. They begin to run over her body and she knows it's his way of reassuring himself that she was there with him, checking to see if there was any injuries on her that he had missed in his initial inspection. _

_He brings her closer still when he's finally satisfied, pulling her to him until she's practically sitting on his lap, their arms wound around each other tight, her face still buried in his neck as he rests his cheek on the side of her head. _

_Neither cares to think about the fact that this is the closest they've ever been, too wrapped up in each other amongst the chaos around them to give it a second thought. _

**~:: Present Day ::~**

Thea walked into the room, resembling a zombie more than her usual confident self, taking her place beside Felicity on the lounge in front of the fire, her movements awkward and unsure.

There had been a constant haunted look on her face ever since Oliver had told her of Roy's kidnapping. She hadn't yelled, hadn't even cried as far as Felicity knew but the anguish that lingered in the younger girls eyes couldn't be ignored.

Felicity reached over, her arm coming over the girl's shoulder, and Thea fell into the embrace, her head landing on Felicity's shoulder as she curled her legs up on to the couch.

This is what they did, as wives of the mob they had to be the strong ones, for both their husbands and themselves. They knew what their husbands did, knew that worry and uncertainty was ingrained into the very roots of their lives.

So that sat in Felicity's home, Thea's childhood home, waiting for their men to come home where they belonged.

"They'll be back."

Thea's only response was the tears that ran down her cheeks.

_**~:: Three Days Ago ::~ **_

_This was all new to him._

_Since bringing her home he didn't know what to do with her, whether she would need space or comfort, what words she needed to hear from him. _

_He had treated her like precious breakable glass since leading her away from the scene of the kidnapping, carefully guiding her towards his car, strapping her into the seat after several failed attempts by her and her shaking fingers. She had been silent the whole ride home, distant as they entered their usually quiet home that was currently abuzz with activity, his men in an organised disarray after the most recent development. _

_He wanted to wrap her up in his arms again, wanted to feel her warmth and to yet again reassure himself that she really was here in front of him like he had down on the cold hard gravel in the middle of the street an hour ago. _

_He sat on the edge of their bed as she busied herself in the ensuite, and from the telltale sound of the sink tap running he knew that she was trying to wash the blood and dirt from herself. _

"_Oliver."_

_His head jerked up at her voice, watching as she moved towards him, only stopping when she stood right in front of him. _

_She cleared her throat, the lack of use, crying and the panic she had been put through making it dry and parched. _

_He didn't speak, only patiently waited for her to gather her thoughts. To ask something of him, anything. He couldn't stand to see her like this, the woman that had showed such strength in the past couple of weeks, the woman who had married him, stood up to him, showed her inner fire until he was drawn to it like a moth. He craved to see it again, that determination in her eyes, that passion when she stood up for something or someone that she believed in. _

_He hated the lost look on her face. _

"_I need…I need you to find Roy." _

_She closed her eyes, as if the strain of asking anything of him was pressing down on her. _

"_Please find him, he's the only family I have left, and if he's…if he's gone I don't know what I'd do….who…" _

_He wanted to say that he was her family. That he would be there for her no matter what but he couldn't get the words out. He had never been a man of colourful words and empty promises. He proved things with actions, for himself and for the family. _

_For her he wanted to be more. Be something else. _

_His hand reached for her waist, bringing her in between his legs and looking up into the blue eyes that were yet again glazing over with tears. _

"_If it's you asking, I'll do it."_

**~:: Present Day ::~ **

The sound of the front door opening caused both women to stand instantly, Felicity moving ahead of a numb Thea towards the foyer.

The sight of her brother and husband coming through the door flooded her whole body with relief, her eyes taking in a tired but healthy looking Roy as she moved towards him, engulfing him in her arms, the whispered words into his ear both chastising him for scaring her so much and thanking him for coming back alive.

Her hands moved to cup both of his cheeks as she looked up at him.

"Roy Smoak, you never do that to me again."

His answer was accompanied by a kiss to his sister's temple, "I promise."

Satisfied for now, she stepped away from him, pushing him towards a still silent and motionless Thea. She watched as her brother made his way slowly towards his wife, reaching out for her attentively as if he was frieghtened he would scare her off.

The movement seems to wake Thea up, the tears springing from her eyes as she practically falls into his awaiting arms her face in his chest, clutching at his clothes, his arms, his face, as if she couldn't believe he really was in front of her.

Felicity's gaze drifts to her own husband, watching as he takes in his sister in the arms of another man and she can't help but feel the rush of emotions at seeing him back in their home.

She doesn't suppress the need to touch him, after the last couple of days she doesn't want to, and in a move that he could never have anticipated engulfs him in a hug that no one saw coming.

His arms hesitantly and slowly move around her, eventually tightening so that all she could feel was his warmth around her.

The scent of his sweat and leather overwhelming her in the best possible way.

_**~:: Three Days Ago ::~ **_

_For the first time in a long time Felicity dreaded going inside her childhood home. _

_She knew Oliver was already there, breaking the news to Thea of Roy's kidnapping, and as much as she didn't want to go inside she couldn't handle sitting in her own home in silence for another minute. _

_Oliver had wanted to wait till morning to tell her but Felicity knew better. Thea would be half crazy by morning if Roy didn't come home without any explanation. _

_So here she was, stepping into her old home at almost midnight, closing the door softly behind her as she shrugged out of the overcoat. _

_She found them on the lounge, Oliver's arms around a silent but shaking Thea who as curled up into his side, her face hidden in his shoulder. _

_The gentle way he held her, one arm tightly around her whilst the other hand softly brushed his sister's locks, made Felicity's own heart tighten. She wanted her own brother back desperately. _

_Oliver's eyes eventually landed on her as she leant against the doorway to the lounge room, the anger and sadness in his gaze stabbing her soul. _

**~:: Present Day ::~ **

She stepped away from him, wanting to give the other couple in the room some privacy, but was distracted from her thoughts when she heard him wince as he lowered his arms from around her.

Only then did she notice the blood that was drenching the sleeve of his right bicep.

"You're shot." She said, reaching out to him.

He shook his head, "It's fine Felicity…"

Her snort cut him off as she threw a glare at him, stepping away but reaching for and grasping the hand not on his injured arm, leaving him with no option but to follow her through the house, towards their bedroom and into their ensuite.

If the situation had been different he would have laughed when she pushed him towards the bathtub, forcing him to sit down on the ledge with a soft nudge of her hand and the perfectly raised eyebrow sent his way.

If the situation had been different he would have moved to the shower, switched the water onto the hottest setting, undressed her until every single inch of her creamy skin was displayed for his perusal, pressed her up against the shower tiles and devoured her until her voice was hoarse from screaming his name.

But it wasn't different.

Her brother had just been returned to her after he was kidnapped and he was still shot. Their story was far from perfect, far from what she deserved.

But that didn't stop him from wanting it desperately.

_**~:: Two Days Ago ::~**_

_There was nothing, no news, no ransom requests and absolutely no leads. _

_Both the Queen and the Smoak families were out look for Roy, no stone had been unturned in the hunt for the head of the Smoak family but all searches came up empty. There hadn't even been the slightest hint of foul play in the air from the rival families. And that's what frustrated Oliver Queen the most; the waiting, the not knowing. It was beyond frustrating to not have anything to hit, to hunt, to kill. No one to put the blame on. _

_And he didn't have a clue where to look next. _

_He knew that Roy had been taken by masked men that came from two unmarked black vans. That was it. Not why he was taken, and most certainly not where. _

_Felicity had tried to hack into every street camera in Starling City in order to find the van's final destination but that became impossible as soon as the van drove into the Glades, where cameras were close to non-existent or faulty. He himself had investigated every inch of the street in the hopes of finding something, anything, which would guide him in the right direction. _

_Their efforts had been futile. _

_And it made him uneasy. _

_Someone was playing a game, was trying to play him. And he would do everything in his power to fulfil the promise he made to his wife._

_He would find out who did this. _

_And they would pay. _

**~:: Present Day ::~ **

He sat on the cold hard edge of the bathtub, watching as she busies herself with getting the necessary medical supplies from the bathroom cupboard.

Watching as her shoulders rise and fall heavily and hears the sigh that escapes her lips right before she turned to face him, a determination in her eyes that had been missing the last couple of days.

He raised his eyebrows at the selection of medical supplies in her hands, complete with a needle and thread and she huffed slightly.

"What? My mother taught me a thing or two about stitching. Not like clothes or anything, more like people. Not that I'm comparing you to quilt work, because you know, all that muscle cant possible be classified under something as boring as quilt work. Not that I look at your muscles. Well of course I've seen them but…argh. Felicity stop. Three, two one…"

If the result was her babbling in front of him, flushed from embarrassment and admitting that she's looked at his body, he would gladly be her pincushion every day of the week.

What was it about this woman that made him speechless? He had never been talkative, far from it, but around her he could never seem to find words that were adequate enough to express what he was feeling, what he needed. Maybe it was because she was the first person to see past his carefully constructed walls, was the first person that had been able to read him like an open book; a mere tick of his mouth or eyebrow telling her all she needed to know about his mood, of the emotions that were sizzling under the surface.

That was the one thing he couldn't understand.

How could his blonde genius wife totally and completely understand him, his motivations and actions, in such a short time, and yet still be completely blind to his desire for her? How could she be oblivious to his inner turmoil when he was in her presence, one of her babbles alone enough to make him want to press her up against the nearest flat surface and ravage her.

He was restraining himself with every fibre of his being but he knew he would snap soon. His self-control had limits and it was being pushed to the extreme.

And those goddamn skirts weren't helping his resolve.

He held his breath as her hands moved to the collar of his shirt, gently tracing the edge as if she wasn't even conscious of the action, until her fingers reached the first button. Each popped button was pure torture, the liquid fire that spread at the gentle feel of her fingers on his chest made him feel like he was being burnt from the inside out.

He was powerless to stop the shudder that ran though him at the feel of her hands sliding the shirt off his shoulders, watching as the blush crept up on her face and down her neck.

He had to grip his hands on the edge of the bathtub to stop himself from ripping the bright yellow shirt she had on to shreds in order to find out exactly how far that blush went down.

_**~:: Two Days Ago ::~ **_

_It was the first time in twenty-four hours that he had let his wife out of his sight. He knew it wasn't logical, knew that she was perfectly safe in the fortress that was their home, but the feeling of unease wouldn't leave him. _

_But he also had things to take care of. _

_He had to check on Sara, or rather Tommy. Because while Sara was like a second sister to him, he knew as well as she did that she would be perfectly fine. Over the years they had both been through worse injuries than a bullet to the leg. Oliver and Sara were fighters, the amount of times that they had flat lined would be record breaking, without even mentioning the sheer number of scars from stab wounds, burns and bullet holes that covered their bodies. _

_No, Sara wasn't who he was worried about. _

_Tommy on the other hand was a mess. _

_Tommy had been shot, stabbed and tortured and still managed to come out the other end kicking and smiling. But seeing Sara, yet again, beaten down and shot had shaken up his best friend like Oliver had never seen before. _

_He sat in the hard hospital chair in a private room in Starling City General, the sound of his friends arguing calming him more than it should have. _

"_I have fully functioning arms Merlyn, I'm perfectly capable of feeding myself." Only to be ignored as another spoonful of jello was brought up to her mouth. _

"_Well aware Lance, if you weren't so bloody stubborn I'd…" but he never finished the sentence, the spoon stilling halfway to her mouth as Tommy took in the newcomer to the room, his senses heightened with an injured Sara next to him._

"_Well look who the cat dragged in. Your timing is impeccable as always." Tommy said with a playfully exasperated voice, only to be slapped by Sara in the shoulder. _

"_Woman! You have to stop beating me. Digg here will think you've turned into a savage while he's been away!"_

"_Children quiet down." Oliver's voice broke through the squabbling, causing Diggle to snort out in laugher. _

"_It's good to have you back man." Oliver said as he rose from his seat, the flood of emotions at seeing his other best friend after so long causing his voice to go hoarse. _

"_It's good to be back. What have I missed?"_

"_Oliver got married."_

"_Roy Smoak, Ollie's new brother in law just got kidnapped."_

"_I got shot."_

_"So just another day at the office?"_

_But Oliver never got to answer Diggle himself, the vibration of his phone distracting him from the conversation. _

_His blood ran cold at the message that lit up his screen. _

_**Missing anything lately?**_

_The room fell into silence, three sets of eyes trained on his face, as if they had sensed the fury and anguish running through him. _

"_Tommy wasn't joking Digg__, you've arrived just in time. I'm going to find whoever's trying to play me, I'm going to find them and then I'm going to kill them. And I'm going to need your help."_

**~:: Present Day ::~**

Why the hell was she this flushed?

She'd seen Oliver naked, well not completely naked but he slept shirtless next to her every night. And she wasn't blind; the man was built. His chest, back and arms were perfectly sculptured, the tattoos and scars in no way tarnishing the image of perfection and temptation that tortured her every night.

But that wasn't the point. The point was that he was sitting in front of her now, shirtless and shot, and she couldn't even fathom why the moment seemed so intimate.

Admittedly, she had never been given free reign to touch his skin as she was doing now, never allowed herself to even consider letting her fingers linger on the soft skin of his shoulder and bicep as she cleaned and dressed the wound on his arm.

Down girl.

_**~:: One Day Ago ::~ **_

"_Thea, I wont tell you again! You are not coming with me!"_

"_Like hell I'm not! He's my husband and I have every right to go with him!"_

_Felicity stood in the kitchen listening to the screaming match currently underway in front of her. Let it never be said that the Queen siblings weren't stubborn. _

_Oliver had received yet another text message from the same untraceable number, this time with a different message. _

_**Your little package will be waiting for you at the docks tomorrow at 9pm. **_

_Ever since Oliver had broken the news to Thea she had been determined to go with the rescue crew to pick him up. _

"_Thea, no! It's dangerous and God only knows what we could meet out there…"_

"_That's exactly why I have to be there! What if you need me?! What if he needs me?!"_

"_No."_

_That one whispered word from Felicity made both brother and sister turn to her, one in confusion and one in anger. _

"_Why the hell not Felicity?"_

"_Because I will not allow both of you to go out there! I don't want either of you there, but Oliver's obviously got to go, so you're going to stay right here. With me. Where neither of us can be a distraction to either of them."_

_She walked over to Thea then, her hand landing on the younger girl's forearm, her gaze not allowing Thea to look away. _

"_Oliver will bring Roy back home. To us."_

_Oliver's heart clenched in his chest at her absolute faith in him. _

**~:: Present Day ::~ **

She didn't step away from him once she finished cleaning and dressing the bullet wound like he had expected, instead she moved closer, the gaze that had been on his chest moving to meet his.

She moved her hand that had been at her side to the shoulder of his uninjured arm, the soft touch warming his insides like he didn't think possible.

"Oliver." Her coarse voice made a shiver run down his spine, though she didn't seem to notice, only continued after clearing her throat.

"I wanted…I wanted to thank you. For bringing him home. To me. Thank you for fulfilling the promise I made you make…" She trailed off not really sure of what words to use to convey how grateful she really was to the man in front of her.

He stood up suddenly, his hand coming out to reach for hers, and she had no other option but to follow him out of the ensuite, him in the lead as they moved towards their bed.

Oliver's thoughts were in disarray, the cold hard truth that he had been trying to avoid for the past several days, several weeks if he was being honest with himself, barrelled into him all at once.

It could have been her, she could have been taken, kidnapped right from under his watchful gaze. What if something had happened to her and he had never gotten the chance to really get close to her? Really gotten to know her? He had only seen the surface of the woman he had married, but every single time a small minute detail about her was revealed to him he found himself being drawn in even more. Charming, witty, intelligent, sharp, she was strength and light personified. His light in the dark world that had consumed him for far too long.

The only answer that he could give to her was spoken when they were both lying on their backs on their bed, the blankets that were over them providing little comfort as the metaphorical gap between them seemed to grow impossibly large.

"Always Felicity."

.

**Another one done! Tomorrows my birthday so I thought I'd post it to avoid the delays that the birthday celebrations will cause. That and the fact that I kept getting reviews and messages that just said, "Update". I totally get the frustration with me – its taken too long for this chapter and I apologize wholeheartedly. **

**Anyway, as always please let me know what you think. **

**Love to all and stay safe everyone! **

**\- Stace XX**


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